A semiconductor module includes a semiconductor package generating thermal energy, a heat collecting member transferring thermal energy from the semiconductor package to a heat collection area in the heat collecting member, a heat radiating member transferring thermal energy received from the heat collecting member and package to the outside, and a thermoelectric device transferring thermal energy through the heat collection area to the heat radiating member via the thermoelectric effect. The heat collecting member and heat radiating member may be otherwise insulated so thermal energy is transferred and controlled by the thermoelectric device. The package may be a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), microprocessor, central processing unit (CPU), graphic processing unit (GPU), or flash memory. The heat radiating member may be an external case of a solid state disk (SSD), and the thermoelectric device may be a Peltier cooler controlled through a power line.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A semiconductor module comprising: at least one semiconductor package; a heat collecting member thermally connected to the at least one semiconductor package, the heat collecting member configured to transfer thermal energy from the at least one semiconductor package to a heat collection area in the heat collecting member; a heat radiating member having a heat radiation surface exposed to an outside, the heat radiating member configured to transfer thermal energy from the heat collection area of the heat collecting member to the outside; a thermoelectric device between the heat collection area of the heat collecting member and the heat radiating member, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer thermal energy from the heat collection area to the heat radiating member by using the thermoelectric effect; and a thermal barrier between the heat collecting member and the heat radiating member.
2. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one semiconductor package includes at least one of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), and a flash memory.
3. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , further comprising: a first thermal interface material (TIM) between the at least one semiconductor package and the heat collecting member; a second TIM between the heat collection area of the heat collecting member and the thermoelectric device; and a third TIM between the thermoelectric device and the heat radiating member.
4. The semiconductor module of claim 3 , wherein the first TIM, the second TIM, and the third TIM include at least one of a thermal compound, a gap pad, a phase change material, and a liquid adhesive.
5. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the thermal barrier includes at least one of a tape, a plating layer, an air layer, a resin, and a silicon material.
6. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the thermal barrier is not between the heat collecting area and the heat radiating member or the thermoelectric device.
7. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the heat radiating member and the heat collecting member are metallic.
8. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the heat collecting member contacting a surface of the heat radiating member is a concave-convex surface of a first roughness, and wherein the surface of the heat radiating member contacting the surface of the heat collecting member is a concave-convex surface of a second roughness, and wherein the first and the second roughnesses are different.
9. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein a length of the heat radiating member is greater than a length of the heat collecting member.
10. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , further comprising: at least one heat radiation pin on the heat radiation surface.
11. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the heat radiating member is an external case of a solid state disk (SSD).
12. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the heat collecting member and the heat radiating member are fixed to each other by a clip.
13. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device is a Peltier device including, a top insulating substrate and a bottom insulating substrate, a P-type thermoelectric material and a N-type thermoelectric material between the top and the bottom insulating substrates, at least one substrate electrically connecting the P-type and the N-type thermoelectric materials, and a power line supplying power to the at least one substrate.
14. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the heat collection area is at a center portion of the heat collecting member.
15. The semiconductor module of claim 1 , further comprising: a circuit board on which the at least one semiconductor package is mounted.
16. A semiconductor module comprising: at least one thermal energy source; a heat collecting layer thermally connected to the at least one thermal energy source, the heat collecting layer being thermally conductive, the heat collecting layer having a heat collecting area; a heat radiating layer exposed to an outside, the heat radiating layer being thermally conductive, the heat radiating layer being thermally insulated from the heat collecting layer except through the heat collecting area; and a thermoelectric device thermally connected between the heat collection area and the heat radiating member, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer thermal energy generated by the at least one thermal energy source through the heat collection area to the heat radiating member by using the thermoelectric effect.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 9, 2010
May 22, 2012
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